Ruckus in Himachal Assembly over CM’s absence amid natural calamity in Chamba

 The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed uproar scenes today as soon as the monsoon session proceedings began, with the Opposition raising the issue of devastation caused by natural calamity in Chamba district.
BJP MLA Hansraj, under a point of order, said that telecommunication and road connectivity in Churah and Bharmour regions had been completely cut off, leaving people stranded without ration supplies.
He demanded urgent government intervention. Supporting him, BJP MLA Janak Raj urged the House to immediately adjourn the monsoon session, citing the seriousness of the situation.
Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, alleging that he had gone to Bihar for non-urgent work at a time when Himachal was reeling from a crisis.
“The Chief Minister should have stayed here to monitor rescue operations instead of giving priority to political work,” Thakur remarked.
Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania acknowledged the concerns of the Opposition, saying that the loss in many districts was immense.
He added that if the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and the Leader of the Opposition mutually agreed, he had “no objection” to adjourning the session.
Defending the government, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the Opposition was trying to create a false impression that no relief work was being done.
He informed the House that the Chief Secretary had held meetings with all district Deputy Commissioners and that the Chamba-Pathankot road had been reopened late last night.
He also dismissed claims of 10,000 people being stranded, clarifying that about 3,000 had already been rescued.
“Jairam Thakur is swinging this sensitive issue in a political cradle. The government is fully serious, and such situations should not be politicized,” Agnihotri countered.
His remarks triggered a heated exchange, with Opposition MLAs storming the well of the House, raising slogans against the government.
Members of the ruling party also rose to counter the protest, leading to noisy scenes. Amid the uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
The debate over the Chief Minister’s absence in Bihar during a time of natural calamity is expected to intensify further as the session continues.